Lever lock for refrigerator doors



T. O. SCHRADER LEVER LOCK FOR REFRIGERATOR DOORS Dec. 29, l925 FiledJuly 25 1925 Patented Dec. 29, 192.5.

UNITED STATES I 1,561,867 PA'ri-:Nr OFFICE.

THOMAS 0. BCHRADEB, Ol'l ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB T0 DENT HARD-WKABE CO., F IULLEBTON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPDRATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

LEVER LOCK FOB BEFRIGERATOR DOORS.

Application led July 25, 1925. Serial No. 45,984.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS O. SGHRADER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State ofPennsylvanim'have invented a certain new and useful" LeverLock forRefrigerator Doors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a lever lockfor application to refrigerator and`vother doors constructively desi ed so that in position locking thedoor t rough a slight pressure exerted a ainst the door and thisirrespective of w at the position of the lever may be rior to a closedcondition of the door.

y invention further embraces a lever I lock constructively arranged sothat through slight energ exerted from the l.under *side to elevate t esame will cause the closed door to become ajar or assume a partiallyopen osition.

M invention still further embraces a lever ock constructively consideredthat permits by slight energy exerted from the upper side to cause thedoor in either the partially open or the actually closed condition to bewed ed firmly so as to assume an airtight con ition with vrespect tofixed surroundings with which the door is in bearing contact.

To which foregoing ends, my invention, stated in general terms, consistsof a vlever lock of the character defined and constructively arran ed insubstantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and sco of the invention will bemore fully un erstood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompan ing drawings forming part hereof, in whic Fig. l, is afront elevational view of a fragmentary rtion of a refrigerator door andsurrounding framework, showing a le ver-lock embodying constructivelythe main features of my invention in a wedgingly locked positionthereto.

Fig. 2, is an end view of the same.`4

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary front view of the door and surroundings, withthe said lever lock shown in an elevated position and with the doorajaror in a partially open position; and l Fig. 4, is an end view of the,same.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in theaccompanying drawin s one form thereof which is at present pre. erred byme, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory andreliable results, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as hereinshown and described.

Referring to the drawings, a, represent/s a fragmentary portion of adoor; and a1 the surrounding jamb.

b, is the keeper of the lever lock of my invention, secured to the jamba1. This keeper consists of an inclined surface projection b1, with arecessed tongue b2, of cone shape, in longitudinal section. The keeperis securely fastened to the j amb a1.

c, is a bell crank lever-arm of the said lever lock, provided with abase c1, suitably fastened to the door and having a struck-up bearin c2,positioned at an acute angle to a vertica plane through thesaid base.This lever c, 1s bent upward, as at c, from the bifurcated bearingportion c2, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and terminating in a long arm orhandle c. The opposite end of the lever from the bearing portion o2, isformed into a contracted or narrowed formation c, arranged so as toreadily ride the inclined formation b1, of thekeeper and take under thenotched tongue b2, of the said keeper Z), as clearly shown in Fig. 1, bysimply exerting a slight pressure against the door tending to a closedconditionof the same, which is completed coincidently by the action ofthe bell crank lever to cause the door to assume the position, forexample, as shown in Fig. 2, with the door closed.

The underside of said part 'c5 is curved convexl as at 0 and the upperface is flat as at c. hen by a slight manual downward movement exertedon the lever-lock, the door is closed securely against the jamb a1, in athoroughly airtight condition. Again, by slightly elevating the lever c,for example, into the position as shown in Fig. 3, thereby causing thedoor a, to become lajar or partially open, as clearly shown in stitutingthe locking device of my invention is such as that the keeper will causethe lever to close the door, whether the long handle occupiesaperpendicular or horizontal osition. In a Word, the said deviceprovldes a self closing lock for a refrigerator, Whether of thehousehold or cold storage type, by a slight pressure manually exertedagainst the door and with the lever lock, for example, occupying aposition such as shown in Fig.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent,'is:y

A device of the character stated comprising a housing, a door therefor,a keeper for said housing comprising a plate secured thereto projectedfrom which plate is a member provided with an inclined surface b1 and arecessed tongue b2 of cone-shape in longitudinal section, a lever-lockcomprising a base late secured to said door and having a bi urcatedbearing portion, a lever pivoted between |the forks of said bearing, thesaid lever terminating at one end in a handle curved from its pivotpoint upwardly as at o and terminating at its opposite end in acontracted or` narrow formation the under face of which is convexlycurved at c and the upper face of which is fiat as at c.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto A signed my name.

THOMAS O. SCHRADER.

